Renewable Energy

Before you purchase a renewable energy system you should read our Cogeneration Rules, Interconnection Policy and the Minnesota Interconnection Process & Technical Requirements guidelines all located below. Your system can not be connected to the grid until it passes state inspection and interconnection is approved by Redwood Electric Cooperative. Failure to contact us from the beginning could lead to unexpected costs and delays in interconnection.

Thinking of a Renewable Energy Investment?

Before you make a big investment in a wind turbine or solar panels do your homework and ask lots of questions. If given expected performance numbers by a salesman, check them with your own numbers. What do they claim for kWh output? How does that line up with actual results from similar projects? Sales claims of kWh production that don't match what historically has been seen can make a big difference in pay back and what you hope to see out of your project. What’s been claimed and what happens in reality can be disappointing. Is the system UL pre-certified?

Ask for a UL certificate. If not, you could incur added costs. Learn about the company or individual you’re dealing with. How long have they been in business? Check with the Minnesota Better Business Bureau about possible complaints and issues with the company. Don’t forget about us here at Redwood Electric Cooperative. You can’t connect to the grid without us. Get us involved before you sign a contract to purchase a turbine or solar panel to avoid possible issues. Just because you bought a turbine doesn’t mean you can hook it to the grid. It has to meet Minnesota state electrical codes and be inspected by a state inspector.  REC has to have the capacity to handle the project on its lines or you could be faced with significant costs. Visit the Minnesota Department of Commerce web site (http://mn.gov/commerce) for information on wind and solar energy. As a member owned cooperative, Redwood Electric Cooperative is here to help its members whether it is through education or completion of your renewable energy project.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce has a lot of helpful information and tips when looking into installing solar at your home.  We suggest the link below as it has great information and has helpful resources. 

Minnesota Department of Commerce Solar(link is external) Energy Guidance for planning and installing your own solar energy system.

Distributed Generation (DG) Grid Access Fee Goes In Effect June 1, 2016

Redwood Electric Cooperative will be implementing a DG Grid Access Fee on distributed generation facilities that are interconnected on or after June 1, 2016. The fee will not apply to current distributed generation facilities or to facilities interconnected before June 1, 2016.
In 2015 the Minnesota legislature sought to return a level of fairness to how the electric distribution grid is paid for by authorizing electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to charge a cost recovery fee on distributed generation facilities (wind, solar, etc.). At its February Board meeting, Redwood Electric Cooperative Board of Directors voted unanimously to implement the fee starting June 1, 2016. The fee will allow Redwood Electric Cooperative to recover some of the cost shift that occurs between distributed generators and the rest of the membership.

There is a fixed cost to deliver electric power to our members; the poles, the wires, the equipment and people that get the power to you and keep it reliable and safe. This fixed cost is recovered in two ways, through a monthly fixed charge and as a portion of your kWh rate. Putting some of the fixed cost within the kWh rate was done on the assumption that the more energy a member used the more demand they put on the grid and the more they should pay to maintain it. Distributed generators demand as much (or more) from the grid than the rest of the membership. But, because they offset some or all of their energy usage they no longer pay their fair share to maintain the grid.

Investing in distributed generation is a big decision with a lot of questions about financing, return on investment, interconnecting with Redwood Electric Cooperative and the expected life of the system. In order to assist our members who are weighing this option, we have all our interconnection and distributed generation information on our NOVA Power Portal (see the hyperlink below).  All the new interconnection rates, contracts, one line diagram and production meter requirements, forms and applications can be found on on our new Interconnection Portal, NOVA Portal.  Due to the new state documentation requirements, we ask that you and/or your solar contractor reference the Nova Power Portal for all questions.  All forms, documentation and payments are only available through our new NOVA Power Portal.  

What is the DG Grid Access Fee and how is it calculated?

The DG grid access fee seeks to recoup that portion of the fixed costs of serving the distributed generator that are included in the kWh rate. The fee is applied per kW of installed distributed generation that exceeds 3.5 kW. The monthly fee is $3.97 per kW. For example an 8kW solar array will pay a fee on 4.5kW (8kW – 3.5kW). The monthly fee in this example would be $17.87 (4.5kW x $3.97). This fee has a maximum of $37.00/month. The fee will be updated at the beginning of each year and can change each year.

When will the DG Grid Access Fee take effect?

Any distributed generation facility over 3.5 kW interconnected on or after June 1st, 2016 will be subject to the cost recovery fee. The fee will not apply to facilities interconnected before June 1, 2016.

Visit our new Interconnection Portal for rates, forms and applications.  Click here to enter NOVA Portal